Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Rebecca Curtis

Abstract

Previous studies have been done on the lack of quality and consistency of vocabulary instruction in low socioeconomic schools. The problem addressed in this study was that some students were performing well on vocabulary assessments in low income early childhood classrooms while other students were performing poorly. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perspectives of early childhood teachers in low socioeconomic schools of students with high vocabulary scores regarding how they teach students based on their zones of proximal development. The conceptual framework used in this study was Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory of cognitive development, which specifically outlined the role that the zone of proximal development has in providing vocabulary instruction. Data were collected from a purposeful sample of 8 teachers using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using a combination of a priori, open coding, and axial coding. Themes that emerged from the data included emphasizing the importance of an adequate vocabulary and providing explicit vocabulary instruction, vocabulary integration, and social interactions. Findings from this study may provide all education stakeholders with insight regarding the importance of vocabulary acquisition and an overview of teaching strategies and delivery models for enhancing vocabulary learning for low socioeconomic early learners.

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